Duskflower's Story

Chapter 24: A Narrow Escape

Hazelwind and Duskflower turned around and saw Berrytail. To their surprise she started laughing.

"You should have seen the look on your face!" She said half hysterical. 

"What do you want?" Said Duskflower bravely.

"Oh my sweet kit, like I always say. I just want to talk."

"Stop! You maniac. You are truly mad."

"So you both have mates yet? Any kits?" Berrytail asked as if she was their friend.

"Leave us alone, I swear."

"Shhh, let me speak. Don't make me angry." She said finally looking a bit serious.

Duskflower had a lot to say but for Hazelwind's sake she didn't say anything.

"Good girl, now listen to what I say very carefully okay." Berrytail said pausing on very word as if she was explaining to kits. Duskflower's blood was boiling and she wanted to say something but she restrained her self. 

"Now...oh yes. I didn't have anything prepared but I just couldn't resist seeing you Duskflower."

"I could have lived perfectly fine without seeing your ugly face."

"Ah ah ah, that smart mouth won't take you anywhere. Now, come with me if you know what's good for you."

"We won't go anywhere you tell us too." Said Hazelwind finally speaking up.

"You must be Hazelwind, the deputy. If you want your Clanmates alive for another few days I suggest you come."

"What do you mean, for another few days?" Asked Duskflower.

"Just come!" Berrytail said her voice louder and her eyes full of hatred.

Hazelwind gave a small squeak and they followed Berrytail. Berrytail lead them a bit away from ShadowClan territory and towards another forest. They crosses a river and Duskflower tried to escape but Berrytail seemed to have eyes in the back of her head.

"You know, living in this forest is a pain. When we destroy your Clan we are going to live like leader's in your caves." Beerytail said as she ducked under a few branches.

"Have fun dying!" Duskflower said.

"Duskflower, I will kill your little friend over here if you don't hush." Berrytail said sweetly.

Berrytail pushed over some bushes and they arrived at the rogue camp.

"Welcome to our humble home." Berrytail said.

  They could see about five or six rogues sitting near some tall trees. They were bones of prey all around and she could see blood. She hoped it was the blood of some animal but with Berrytail she couldn't be sure. 

"Who are they?" Asked an black tom.

"Darkheart, this is my great grand-daughter and the LightningClan deputy."

"Oh, this is going to be fun." 

"Now that we've seen your mess of a camp, what do you want?"

"Duskflower, you are getting on my nerves!" Said Berrytail as she quickly clawed Duskflower on the muzzle. 

  That's when Duskflower decided to attack back. When Berrytail was looking away she grabbed her tail and yanked with such force that Berrytail was thrown off balance. Hazelwind sliced her paw on Berrytail's face when she was on the ground and while the rogues were in shock the two used that to their advantage and sneaked out of there.

  After they left the forest they kept running until they saw the cliff. They started panting and slowed down. It was the middle of the night and they didn't want to wake anyone up. They slowly walked down the Lightning Path and they went in the warrior's den and slept the moment they got in their nests.

 Duskflower woke up panting as she had a bad dream. But when she woke she could no longer remember what her dream was about. She saw that Hazelwind had already left and she went to find her. 

Duskflower saw Hazelwind organizing patrols and answering questions about where she had been yesterday.

"Wait wait, first can I tell who's going on the Border Patrol. Whitefang please lead today's border patrol. I was with Duskflower yesterday to convince the leader's that Berrytail is out there. Today we are going to RiverClan and WindClan."

Hazelwind saw Duskflower coming and came over to her. 

"Good Morning!"

"How are you so calm?" Duskflower asked.

"Well if I'm a nervous wreck then our Clan will know that something's wrong. I don't want to scare them until I know more."

"Wow, this is why I'm not the leader."

"Hah, anyway go eat something and we can set off for the other two Clans."

"I'm so tired after yesterday."

"The faster we prepare the less chance Berrytail has to kill us."

"Can we go tomorrow? I think we need to be here because Berrytail might think we've left and try and come here."

"That's true, but..."

"Don't worry, tomorrow morning we can wake up before dawn and leave."

"Don't say anything tomorrow ok."

"Of course."

"Now I have some work to do." She said as she walked off.

  Duskflower wanted to go back to sleep but she decided to be useful instead. She decided to hunt by herself and she left camp.

  She caught the scent of a mouse and followed it. She made sure her pawsteps were light and remembered how Stormstar taught her to slide her paws. She found the mouse and quickly pounced and quickly killed it. She burried the mouse and set off again. 

  She saw a squirrel and she accidentally stepped on a twig. The squirrel ran up a tree and Duskflower quickly ran up the trunk beside the squirrel and blocked the tree. She chased the squirrel down and killed it. She burried the squirrel as well.

   Duskflower loved the thrill of the run and she loved hunting. She wasn't that good at battling so she was still amazed how she threw Berrytail off balance. She decided to move along and dusked under a few branches.

  She saw two starlings pecking at a worm in the ground and she slowly approached without making and sound and managed to kill one of the starlings. The other one flew away and she took the starling and dug up her squirrel and mouse and headed back to camp.

  Duskflower brought her fresh-kill to the nursery and went inside. Ivythorn had moved into the nursery with Flyspark's kits. Amberkit, Rosekit and Honeykit were asleep and Blossomflight and Ivythorn was also snoring. She decided to slowly place the prey and go out. 

  She decided to visit Stormstar and see how he was doing. She went in the leader's cave and saw a sight that would forever haunt her. She saw her beloved mentor in a pool of his own blood. He was covered in scars.

"TANSYLEAF!" She yowled.

  Within minutes the two medicine cats came running inside. They started frantically checking him and asked her to step out. The whole Clan was gathered outside and asked Duskflower what happened. Duskflower didn't say anything, she was in shock. She hoped her mentor and leader would be okay.

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